Sunday, March 5, 2017

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: WHITNEY ROSE - SOUTH TEXAS SUITE

Whitney Rose has come a long way, quite literally. Her career began in P.E.I., then she worked out of Toronto for a couple of years, and now finds herself in Austin, Texas. This mini-album (six cuts, 22 minutes) sees her introduce her new Texan band and sound, which is a little more western swing than her previous country sounds. There's fiddle on every song, steel guitar on most them, a tune about bluebonnets, plus one about Luckenbach. Another is about her boots. Stompin' Whitney Rose. Anne of Austin.

Authenticity isn't an issue here, as this is more of a tribute to the Texan sound, a love letter even. Three Minute Love Affair is about the instant romance of the dance floor, with some accordion for Tex-Mex flavour. Bluebonnets For My Baby is all about the tradition of the music and the imagery, a love song for a simpler time. Analog, a breezy 50's shuffle graced by the tinkle of the great Earl Poole Ball's piano, is an argument for old over new. My Boots, more of a Waylon-like track, is for those who wouldn't be caught dead in heels, no matter what the occasion. She wrote four of the six tracks here, and even though she was born well after any of this was first in vogue, Rose obviously has both an affinity for the style and an ability to pick up the subtleties. While this is a transitional album, it will be interesting to see if she's found her place for awhile.

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About Me

A veteran Canadian broadcaster, Bob Mersereau specializes in popular music writing. He's been with CBC TV and Radio since 1982, and regularly reports on the arts. Bob is the author of the Top 100 Canadian Albums, a national best-seller published in 2007, and The Top 100 Canadian Singles, published in September 2010, both from Goose Lane Editions. His music column appears each week on CBC Radio 1 in New Brunswick, on the program Shift, and he has written music articles and reviews for such publications as The Coast Magazine, The Telegraph Journal, and The Globe and Mail. He's also the recipient of the 2014 Stompin' Tom Award from the East Coast Music Association.